Transatlantic crusie

[green_rd]

In booking a TA do you prefer to fly to the other side of the pond and sail "home" or you like to begin your vacation at sea and then get home quickly?

Of course a double crossing would be wonderful, but there are time constraints.

[zdgp]

We prefer to get the longer flight and airport hassle over with before the cruise.

[Marc]

Definitely fly to Europe and sail home. Two major reasons. First, you will have six 25 hour days versus six 23 hour days on the east bound trip. Second, you will have a week or more of ports every day followed by relaxation versus the other way around which leaves you tired at end of trip.

[KayAnnie]

I like the idea of getting over the jetlag slowly, one day at a time on the voyage over. It really kicked my butt this last trip, and I was like a zombie walking around Florence.

[Trip]

I would prefer to end up on the home side

[Snoozeman]

West bound for sure for the reasons Marc stated!

[RTALLEN]

Originally Posted by Marc

Definitely fly to Europe and sail home. Two major reasons. First, you will have six 25 hour days versus six 23 hour days on the east bound trip. Second, you will have a week or more of ports every day followed by relaxation versus the other way around which leaves you tired at end of trip.

Do Europeans measure time differently than we do? I always thought there were 24 hours in a day. So how did you come up with 25 hour days and 23 hour days?

[Paul Motter]

Don't forget - the highlight of the entire cruise is sailing INTO the harbor of New York City - especially at sunrise. The light on lower Manhattan is great for picture taking. You go straight towards the Statue of Liberty. It is really a breathtaking experience - especially if you have any affinity for the city. So - Westbound.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by RTALLEN

Do Europeans measure time differently than we do? I always thought there were 24 hours in a day. So how did you come up with 25 hour days and 23 hour days?

There is a six hour time difference (most of year as we change to daylight savings time at different dates) between US Eastern Time and Central European Time. Therefore, westbound, you set your clocks back six times getting an extra hour of sleep or play. Eastbound, you set your clocks forward six times losing an hour of sleep or play.

[green_rd]

Thanks folks - I hadn't thought of the 25 hour day thing - and I had to think about it for a while to figure it out. Used to gaining or losing time in big chunks in the air. We sort of experienced that in the Mexican Riviera - short days heading SE long days heading NW.

It may not be soon but I'm pretty sure I have a date with a (Cunard) Queen coming in the not too distant future.

[Fern]

We're doing the air at the beginning of our cruise, mainly because I hate to fly and I can get it over with ! We'll have a day and a half in London to "recover" from the flight.

[AR]

Here's a valuable non-answer. . .

It all depends on what we're doing on the other side of the pond. It's a completely practical decision. We never take a TA in either direction just to get off the plane and on the ship (or off the ship and on the plane) in Europe. We always do some sort of visiting or traveling on the other side, so it just depends on the logistics and timing involved in those activities.

Plus, it depends a lot on what time of year you're planning to cruise. Obviously, the eastbound repos tend to happen in the spring and the westbounds in the fall, so sometimes you just have to go with what's available.

If we were to do a TA with no other objectives in mind, and if there was a choice, I guess I'd agree with Marc, for all the reasons he points out.